Finally Free
by therichnobody
Summary: Ryou's confused, Bakura's messing with him, Marik doesn't know what's going on, and Malik has a confession. First tradegy! Hope you like!
1. Another beating

…_Finally…after all of the torture…I'm finally free…_

SLASH. A heavy thud followed by a maniacal cackle. The figure walked towards the collapsed person, grabbed him by the collar and forcefully punched him. _Now what have I told you about saying 'no' to me? _

Silence.

_Damn you!_ Another sound, slicing of human flesh, blood splatters to the floor, an anguished scream. _Screaming shows weakness. I thought I told you that. Scream again and see what happens._

Another slice, another scream. More blood soils the floor. _I told you not to scream again, now you have sealed your fate._

_Get up hikari._

Bloody and broken, Ryou struggled to get to his feet but he couldn't make it. He collapsed in a pool of his own blood, causing his yami to send a savage kick to his face. "You worthless piece of shit. I said get up."

"Y-yes…Bakura"

And yet, he couldn't get up. His body wouldn't respond to his brain. "If I say get up one more time"-

"I can't."

Before he knew what he said, Ryou found himself face to face with Bakura. "Did I just hear you say you can't?"

Ryou stayed silent. It's not like he had the strength to speak anyway. "Answer me Ryou!"

And he of course stayed silent. Ryou knew he was in more trouble than he needed and if he said anything, it would just make it worse. "Don't want to talk now? Has your courage exhausted, or is it just your mind?…Pathetic."

He then threw Ryou to the wall, causing him to slide down painfully, leaving a trail of blood on the wall. Bakura pulled out a pocketknife and walked towards Ryou. Pulling him closer, he placed the cold steel blade to his face. "Since you have apparently lost your importance to me, I could just kill you now." "N-no…I am…still useful…to you…" "Then prove it hikari. Make it so that you don't die." Then Bakura thrusted the knife into Ryou's hair, cutting it and scraping a bit of his scalp, then stepped back to see what Ryou was going to do.

_Crap._

Now Ryou is in a tight situation. He had no strength left, losing blood at an alarming rate, and Bakura was just watching him, not even going to help. When Ryou tried to get to his knees, he slipped, falling face first and making his yami laugh at his struggles. He tried again, well wanted to, but that was it. He used the last bit of energy he had to say, "Help…me…please cough …help me…Bakura."

"Help you? Why should I help you when you can't help yourself? You're better off dead. The weak are nothing but fodder; slaves to whoever deems it so. Only the strong survive, hikari. I'll see you in hell."

And that's when Ryou blacked out.


	2. My last dream?

_...I'm dead. This is it. I just know it..._

_...I have to open my eyes, but I can't...My whole body is cold...I must see where I am, but..._

_...What is this dripping...Raindrops...or is it..._

_...Tears. But whose...I have to open my eyes...to see who it is...it's...it's..._

_Me. I'm crying...But...why...And whose that behind me...It's...too blurry..._

...Come Ryou...it's time...

_Now... ... ...yes...I should-no...I have too much to live for...My parents...my friends..._

_...Bakura..._

...Do you really care for him?...And your friends and family?...

_Yes...I don't want to leave them yet..._

But your worthless.

_Bakura?_

You're parents don't care about you, nor do your so called 'friends'. If they did, don't you think someone would have come to your rescue? No. Because you are weak. Uneeded.

_T-that's not true...I am needed..._

Oh, so you're standing up for yourself now? Not scared of me anymore? Then prove it. Prove to me that you still have a use in this world. If you can, that is.

_...I can...I am needed...but..._

But what? Afraid to speak up? Too weak to defend yourself if I get mad? Don't know what you're useful for? Or all of the above? Answer me.

_...No...I don't know...What is...my use..._

If you don't know yourself, then what use _are_ you? Heh...Mwa ha ha ha ha ha! Why don't you just listen to the voice and go into the nice bright light to fufill your life's achievement.

_...What...is my life's achievement..._

Oh, that's right. You don't know what to do. But you should, because you already did it.

_What did I do...Tell me..._

Your life's achievement...was to be killed by me.

_No...that's not true..._

It is.

_No...please...not again...spare me...I can't go now...not like this...please-_

_Noooooo!!!_


	3. I'm alive

Sorry for the short chapters and the weird typing style for ch.2, I just thought it was apporiate at the time. Won't happen again. (probably will though, sorry!) Oh, the boring part I should have added at the beginning.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, the characters of said show, or anything created by the great Kazuki Takahashi. Thank you.

Nooooo!!!

Ryou sat up suddenly, breathing hard and sweating. He had to slow his breathing, due to sharp pains in his chest.

"I'm...alive? But...how?"

The young albino surveyed the room he was in. It was familar, like he'd been there on many occasions. Deep blue-violet walls and golden trinkets adorned the tables and shelves. There was an air of Egyptian culture all around the room, but the thing that set it off was the black-and-purple motorcycle helmet on one of the shelves. He then looked at the bed he was lying in, black satin sheets with little gold hieroglyphic symbol designs on them. _So elegant...I should know this..._ His eyes wondered from the sheets to his own body. Bandages taking up most of his body, Ryou could have been mistaken for a mummy. And speaking of his bandages, his left eye was covered. Despite having his whole body aching and very sore, he tried to get out of the bed but had to stop. The pain was too much.

"Ryou...you're up...I can't believe it..."

Ryou looked in the direction of the voice and there was Malik standing in the doorway. "Ma-Malik...where am I? What is going on?" "That's what I'd like to know. Mind telling me?"

"...And after he was done attacking me, he just stood there...watching to see if I could get up. I...can't remember the rest...But I do remember this. It was like...a dream world...Bright light shone on everything...I thought I died...this voice spoke to me, asking if I as ready to go...I almost went...but I stopped myself. Said I had too much to live for...but then..."

"Then what?" the worried Egyptian asked.

"I heard Bakura's voice...he called me...worthless. Uneeded. Not fit...to live..." and then Ryou broke down to tears, causing Malik to comfort him.

"Say no more Ryou, he was just messing with your mind. You know that's not true. But don't worry, I won't let it happen again. You can count on that." "No, I must find him...You have to help me!" Ryou yelled, trying to get up but had to immeadiately stop due to the pain.

"Whoa, take it easy! you're in no condition to move, let alone go running around looking for someone! Besides, we all thought you had...died."

Silence

"How long have I been out of it?" Ryou asked staring into the large purple eyes of Malik's.

"About four days. I knew something was wrong that night when Marik came back saying he saw you 'asleep' in the living room covered in 'red paint'. I went over there to see what was wrong. Bakura wasn't there when I found you on the floor. You weren't breathing. I called Yugi and Joey and they helped me take you to the hospital. We waited hours on hours, but they came back to tell us that you didn't have a pulse anymore: Pronounced dead. I couldn't take it. I told them to try again and again, but you weren't coming back. The next day, everyone was organizing the funeral, notifying your parents and everything, but I brought you here. I wasn't going to let them bury you, I said I'd find a way to bring you back, but no use. I just...kept you here, hoping, wishing...you'd come back... ... ...Don't ever scare me like that again." Malik said to Ryou, teary-eyed.

"I'll try not to"-"No, I'm making sure of it. You're not going back there until we find Bakura and secure him. I notified the police and now he's on the most wanted list for repeated attempted murder and cruel and unusual punishments. Trust me, when we find him, we won't hear from him again"- "No! They can't take him away! I love him!"

Malik stared at Ryou before looking away. "What are you saying Ryou, he tried to kill you! How could you love someone like that?!"

"I don't know...I can't explain it, there's just something about him. But they can't do this...not yet."

It was silence between the two. Neither one of them could say anything to comfort the other. Ryou was thinking of how did this whole thing happen in the first place; Malik was thinking of Ryou. Of what he just explained to him. Since the chance was gone, he made up his mind and decided to tell Ryou the truth.

"Ryou listen. I have been keeping this a secret for a long time...I should have told you earlier. Ryou, I"-

"Where do you think Bakura is now?" Ryou interrupted, completely unaware of Malik's confession.

"Bakura... ... ...I'm not sure, but...we'll find him for you." he said, comforting Ryou enough to get a whispered 'thank you' out of him before he drifted back to sleep. _I can't tell him now. Too much has happened already, I don't want to overload. I'll let him sleep..._

_You evil muthafucker._

_I was just messing with him. Didn't mean for him to die. Oh well._

_I knew you didn't like him, but damn-_

_I told you I DIDN'T KILL HIM ON PURPOSE! _

_Why so testy? There's something else to this thing, isn't it? You really want him dead. Well say he survived. What then?_

_You know something Marik, he's still alive isn't he? _

_I knew it. He will die._

I did it again. Sorry! Reviews are appreaciated.


	4. Bakura

_I_ like _italics_...Don't own the number 1-800-CRIME-TV either.

_2 months later..._

_It's been 9 weeks since the brutal attack on local resident Ryou Bakura. Authorites are still looking for prime suspect (better known as Yami Bakura) up to this date. Authorites also say that residents of Domino city should take any and all precautions to protect themselves form the madman and if you have any tips on where Yami Bakura may be or if he's armed or not, call 1-800-CRIME-TV. And now for sports with Mike Shinra_

"I can't believe they haven't found him yet, where in the hell can he be?" Malik stated as he turned off the television, dissapointed. He looked over to Ryou, who was still depressed about the whole ordeal. "I mean...heh, why are we still worried about him? They'll catch him, and this won't ever happen again"-

"It won't matter."

He stared at Ryou, thinking why would he say something like that. "Don't be so negative! You survived, and that's all that matt"-

"If it wasn't for you, I would be dead. I can't protect myself, or even prevent myself from dying. I am nothing but a weakling who isn't even fit to live on this hell hole of a planet."

"What are you now, one of those emo gothics? You are only saying this because Bakura warped your mind. Hey, I know! Why don't we just go out and do all of the things that you want. Starting now, today's Ryou Day! Whatever you want! How's that sound?" He grabbed his pale friend, and pulled him up. "Come on Ryou!"

"Well, I really never got a chance to enjoy myself...I was always caring for Bakura"-"And that's rule number one: Today, don't mention his name; it will only bring us down. Happy stuff! I know you always wanted to ride some bumper cars, don't you?"

Ryou smiled, glad that he had a great friend like Malik. "I did always want to...Thanks Malik." "That's what friends are for."

_Hmm...where is he? Don't tell me he thinks by not coming home he can get away from me...How naive, Ryou...He still thinks that I'm trying to kill him so he's probably hiding out with Yugi or Malik...No one can hide from me..._

_I thought you didn't want to kill him._

_Who asked you anyway Marik? And since when you cared for someone else's life? You listen to me and listen well, If I find you trying to stop me again I won't hesitate to-_

_Do what? You won't hurt me. You can't even kill Ryou. But what I don't understand is why you want to kill him all of a sudden when before you told me you didn't want to kill him. Have you finally cracked, Bakura?_

_Heh, you don't know what to do. I say just leave him be and as soon as the heat's off of you, go back to your regular life. Simple._

_... ... ...Where is he?_

_At Malik's hom-Dammit Bakura! Leave him alone! This is pointless!_

_No it's not. I have my reasons..._

As he entered the room, Ryou put him things away, thinking of the day he had with Malik. Of all of the fun things he got to do. Amazingly, he didn't even think of Bakura. After recieving the Millennium Ring, this is one of the happiest moments he's experienced since then. "My, I must do something to repay Malik for all of his kindness."

"I say go jump off a cliff."

Ryou froze, instantly recognizing the cold voice to be none other than Bakura. He slowly turned around to see his comfirmed suspicions standing in the doorway. Rooted to the spot, he stared in cold fear as the tombrobber advanced towards him, pulling out a knife and pointed it dead at Ryou's heart. "Ba...Bakura...you...you're"-

"Seeing you still alive. Why do you insist on convincing yourself that you're needed on this world? The best thing you can do to repay him is to die. That way, he won't have to do it again. You are nothing but a burden to anyone you're around. Don't struggle or try to prevent me from killing you, because then you'll be an even bigger burden on me. Wouldn't you agree, hikari?"

"Yes, I mean-no...I won't let you play mind games with me anymore Bakura!" Ryou yelled, suprizing Bakura and himself.

Bakura smirked, pleased with what he was hearing. "Oooh, been getting prep talk from Malik I see...Well then, I would like to see if you still recognize who I am to you." he slashed Ryou's face, then punched him, sending him to the wall. "Get up. Prove yourself. Attack me if you're human."

Ryou wiped the blood from his face. "W-what do you mean...if I'm human?" "It means," Bakura said as he gave a vicious blow to his stomach, "if you're human, you would have the natural instinct of defending yourself. Well?" and he delivered another strike, this time with the knife.

He tried to stop Bakura's onslaught, but he wasn't strong enough. Bakura's words got the best of him. His self-confidence plummeted as his body fell to the floor. _I am weak...He's right...I'm not even human in his eyes..._

"You are right Bakura. Please, end this. It would be better for everyone."

"Really? You have come to your senses, I see. Alright." Then he placed the knife on Ryou's chest, directly where his heart is located, feeling his heart beating furiously. Just as he was pressing the blade through his chest, the door burst open and Malik rushed in, tackling Bakura to the ground. "You get away from him Bakura!" He yelled, trying to pin the thief to the ground but was thrown off. Malik got up quickly and kicked the knife out of his hands, and attempted to put Bakura in a headlock, but failed, due to Bakura flipping him over his back. Pulling a second knife from his pocket, he seized Ryou and thrusted the knife to his throat but stopped when he saw Malik pull out a .45 caliber pistol.

"One more move and I'll blast your head off Bakura." Malik said with a deadly tone in his voice, showing no signs of fear or remorse. "I will do it."


	5. True purpose

Everything stopped when Malik threatened Bakura. "Malik...where did you get that?" Ryou asked, wondering how his best friend who's _supposed_ to be against violence, would actually have the nerve to kill someone, let alone shoot them.

"I had it for a while, and I damn well know how to use it. Ask Bakura, he's felt it before." Malik replied, not letting up his glare. "You may have shot me before, accident wise, but there's no way you have the guts to do it again."

"Get over here so you won't get hurt Ryou."

"Stay here and finally be useful hikari."

The young Britian didn't know what to do. He wanted to go to Malik's side and not get killed, and yet he wanted to stay with Bakura, the one he loved, the one who said he was better off dead. He started to walk towards Malik but stepped back and held onto Bakura's waist. "Ryou! What are you doing?! Get over here now!" Malik kept trying to coax him to his side, but the words weren't registering in his head. His mind was cloudy, full of things he tried to decipher; fact or lies. Was he needed in life, or was he nothing? If Bakura said it was so, then Ryou decided that he'd believe him. Besides, he couldn't think of anything he was of help. Out of all the adventures he and his 'friends' experienced, he was nothing but trouble. He was weak, always letting Bakura take him over and cause havoc, doing nothing to contain him. Until that day they separated, he wasn't strong enough nor had the courage to get rid of Bakura. And to top it off, he fell in love with him.

"Ryou! Don't listen to whatever he's saying! Remember you still have a mind link! He is screwing with your head!" Malik yelled, pleading with Ryou but to no avail. "It looks like he's now understanding what needs to happen to him." Bakura smiled and whispered something into Ryou's ear, then leaned back and laughed. "What did he tell you Ryou? Whatever it is, do not believe it!" the tan Egyptian said to Ryou, demanding an answer.

"So you don't want me to believe that I deserve to live?"

BLAM.

That was it. Malik shot Bakura in the chest, blasting him back and spraying blood on Ryou's face and shirt.

"Bakura!" Ryou gasped, running to the tombrobber who was suprisingly getting up. "Stay down and let me tend to your wounds"-"Get off me, you impudent worm." Bakura yelled, pushing Ryou off of him and then prying the bullet out of him with the knife. He then stood and faced Malik, holding the bleeding hole in his chest. "Looks like your out of ammo." "I may be out of ammo, but I can still pistol whip your ass. Now leave."

"Why did you shoot him Malik?!" Ryou yelled, making Malik look his way. "Ryou..." Malik started, then glard at Bakura, "You see what you have done to him you evil BASTARD!!!"

Just then a swarm of Domino authorites burst into the room and surrounded Bakura, all pulling out weapons. "Yami Bakura, you are under arrest! Put your hands in the air, drop the weapon and step away from those two!" Bakura raised his hands in the air and started to snicker, then full out psychotic laughing. "Don't tell me that you called the authorites, Malik. That afraid of me? All you're doing is delaying the inevitable." Then he swung at Malik causing the police to fire. Ryou and Malik ducked the oncoming fire while Bakura was actually deflecting the bullets back at the authorites. Blood showered the walls, bodies littered the floor, deathly silence filled the room. Bakura looked back at the two and said before he left, "That was an example of true strength mortals. I have my use in this world: population control."


	6. Acceptance

"Ryou, please talk to me, say something...anything!"

"Please!"

Malik kept trying to get Ryou out of his state of silent depression. It's been a week since he saw Bakura that night and he hasn't said anything since. Malik has been trying his best to get at least one word out of Ryou, but nothing. He hasn't eaten, slept, left Malik's house or anything but stare at the floor. His eyes, once bright, shiny, full of life, are now dull and lifeless. But Malik hasn't given up hope.

"Please Ryou, at least ell me what's bothering you? Is it me shooting Bakura, or the whole ordeal? I need to know in order to help!" he grabbed his friend's shoulder and turned to face him. Ryou didn't even look up. "What has he done to you..." Malik thought to himself, thinking of a way to snap him out of it. "Is it because you don't know your purpose?"

This time, Ryou did look at Malik, but his face showed no expression. "Is that it, because if it is, I can name five different reasons you need to live."

"Name them."

The Egyptian was taken aback by Ryou's words. The first spoken in a week. "A...alright. You...you're the only one who can control Bakura"-"If it wasn't for me being so weak, he wouldn't even be able to leave the Millennium Ring." Malik stopped, sensing the anger, sorrow and negativity in his friend's statement. The truth is, he really couldn't name five reasons. Well, if he really thought, he could think of three, at the most. But considering the fact that he would probably name a negative aspect about the next reason, he tried to change the subject.

"Well if you're gonna be so down about it, I could just say"-"What? Say that there is no use for me? Prove to me that Bakura was right!...Like I knew he was..."

"No, that's not what I meant!" He tried to repair what he said to Ryou, but the damage was done. The albino stood up and headed for the door. "Ryou, where are you going? Ryou!"

As soon as he left the door, Ryou went towards him home. When he got there, he stepped into his room. The room that he hasn't been in for months. Looking around caused memories of his life to flood his destroyed mind. memories of happines, memories of sorrow, of hate and love. "So many things happened here, I'm sorry to leave them all behind."

And with that thought, he grabbed the nearest lamp and threw it, smashing it on the wall. He just stared at the pieces scattered on the floor. Then he started to laugh, and it wasn't in his nature to laugh like this. To laugh evily at the most trivial thing such as a broken lamp. "Heh heh, they say that before you freeze to death, you suddenly feel warm and happy. No wonder I feel like this, my body is as cold as a corpse, or rather, it will be." Ryou then pulled a sheet of paper from a random notebook and started to write...

_To whom it may concern, I, Ryou Bakura, am now listing the final moments of my pitiful, worthless life..._

He smiled as he finished writing. He started to laugh as tears fell down his face and blotted the paper, the paper, which he placed on top of his dresser. Then walking into his closet, he felt in the very back of it until he found a hole in the wall and pulled out a knife. This knife just happened to be Bakura's favorite knife. "His 'special' knife, with what he did I don't know, but to think he thought I didn't know about this one." Ryou said to himself (he's to the point of talking to himself) as he stroked the blade. "Exactly thirteen inches, solid steel tang, with a nine inch blade exposed...perfect for slicing into one's jugular."

Lighting flashed outside as blood dribbled down the pale one's finger. To add the final touch, he signed his note in his very blood before leaving the room wih the knife in hand; a sadistic, satisfied look on his face. "Now, to finish what he started so long ago..."


	7. Fulfillment

Rain started to pour outside, cold needles fell to the dirt. Stinging the back of Ryou. Soaking him as if he just took a plunge in a lake. He kept walking; he didn't even know where he was going, so long as no one found him. Walking nowhere, finding his true path, and taking the final steps before fulfillment. _Soon...so soon I can't wait...to taste the blood between life and death...I'm finally going to see the messenger..._

"Ryou! Ryou where are you!" Malik called, searching every bit of his home. He has already called Yugi, Joey and all of Ryou's other friends who are now looking for him. "Nyah, he's not here!" Joey said exasperated. "Oh, where can he be?" Tea' sighed when she spotted the note on his dresser, "Hey, what's this? Guys, look at this!" "Let me see that." Marik took the note and read it aloud for everyone to hear...

"This clearing should suffice," Ryou said to himself, "Don't you think Ryou? Why yes, I whole-heartedly agree. This is the perfect spot. Empty, where no one can find us and have to waste their time and money burying me. It's not like they would care Ryou, most likely they would just let the animals feed on our carcass. Yes, that's true. Oh well..."

Going into the middle of the forest clearing, he raised the knife to his throat and prepared to free himself-

"And just what do you think your doing Ryou? You can't be killing yourself now are you?"

Ryou stopped and turned around to see...

Malik started to read aloud, "The note says...

_To whom it may concern, I, Ryou Bakura, am writing the final moments of my pitiful, worthless life. It has occurred to me that Bakura was right all along. And try I might, I just couldn't find a good enough reason to continue my life on this world. So I have decided to end what is left of me. Don't be sad or anything, be glad that I stopped wasting my time and yours by ceasing my existence. Goodbye to you all, Yugi, Tea', Joey, Tristan, Duke, and any other beings out there who tried to give me a reason to live, and especially to Malik, who was the best 'fake' friend any nobody could have. My dying wish, which you do not have to fulfill if you do not wish to, is tell my mother and father that finally their piece of shit son is finally free._

_I love you all,_

_Ryou Bakura_

"Oh no, he's going to kill himself, we have to find and stop him! Come on guys!" Yugi and the others left to look for Ryou, but Malik couldn't move. He was too stunned to do anything. He dropped to his knees, and cried. He cried long and dear for his friend, for he knew there was no helping him now. "Yo Malik, you coming or what?!...Malik?..." Joey called getting no response at first, but then he replied, "Yeah...I'm coming."

Bakura. Standing in the rain specked moonlight, soaking wet as well. The thief walked towards Ryou, who stepped back and pressed the blade closer to his throat, causing it to bleed.

"Don't try to stop me Bakura, I'm making everyone's life easier for once." Ryou said with a malicious smirk on his face but Bakura just scoffed. "What makes you think I'm stopping you? I'm just hear to watch. Go right ahead."

Ryou stared at Bakura, noticing that all he had on was black jeans and a black leather vest, chest exposed. "You really should dress according to the weather Bakura. You'll catch a cold."

"You're so pitiful you are actually giving me dressing tips when you're killing yourself? Tch, pathetic." Bakura laughed, giving an aura of deep hatred and amusement. "I was just trying to help you like I help everyone else, the least you can do is give me a thank you! What's wrong with you? Don't you realize that if it wasn't for me tying all of the bloody idiots I know there would be utter chaos in Domino?!" then he stopped, trying to register in his decimated mind what he just said. His thoughts were so mixed up, he didn't know left from right. "Wha-what did I just say?"

"It seems to me that you finally found your purpose, Ryou." a tall, tanned Egyptian walked into the clearing, known only as Marik, "So why don't you just stop all of this shit and go home. You too, Bakura. This crap is getting ridiculous."

"And what does it matter to you Marik? I thought I told you to stay out of it! Don't put lies in the boy's head, he's bad enough as it is." Bakura snarled. "The only reason he's so damaged is because of you drilling that bull into his head on a daily basis. Don't think I don't know you have been abusing your mind link." Marik replied, "What do you have against him anyway, I thought you _loved _him really."

"You...loved me Bakura?" Ryou asked, actually understanding something now. "Don't listen to him"-"Yeah, don't listen to the truth Ryou, that's all this bastard is saying. Think about it, do you really have no purpose in life?"

This Ryou thought long and hard about. Dead silence except for the rain splashing all around the three. Then all of a sudden, he said to them, "I understand now. I understand that I do need to live. Thank you Ma"-

But the poor albino didn't even get to finish before Bakura swiftly grabbed his knife out of Ryou's hands and stabbed him directly in the heart. Marik tried to prevent it by delivering a direct punch to Bakura's jaw, but he didn't make it. He saw the stricken Ryou fall to the ground, blood pouring freely from the deep wound. "If he wasn't going to do it, I was." Bakura muttered, regaining his stature after the punch. Marik looked over from Bakura to Ryou, stepped back and sighed. "Damn. Was that really necessary Bakura?" and left with those words.

"Hmph," Bakura started, spitting out a tooth, walked over to the dying Ryou. "Well, isn't this familiar." Gasping for breath, Ryou managed to say, "Y-you...stabbed me in the heart...w-why..." then he coughed up more blood, the blood that he needed greatly. "Why the heart? Because... ... ...it's the best way to die from a loved one. By stabbing you in the heart, I drove my memory into you. Just be glad you won't have to live with my ass anymore..." "B-but...I liked every part of it..."

Bakura knelt down and held Ryou's body close to his. "What do you mean, you enjoyed it? Even the beatings, all of the torture I put you through?" he wiped the blood from his hikari's mouth, allowing him to speak a little more clearly. "Yes...cough cough I did. Because...I l-loved you Bakura-cough...and I'd do anything...to be with you...b-but I guess...cough I'm...finally free..." Then his body shut down. His heart stopped beating, he could feel it. And at that very moment, the great Thief King let silent tears flow for Ryou. Bakura lowered his face to kiss the cooling lips of his hikari. Placing the body down, he stood up, thinking of what he just did. Anger and joy filled his mind, but sadness filled his heart. He did what came naturally to him, use violence to express his feelings. So he punched the nearest tree. And he punched it again. Over and over until he heard footsteps. He couldn't regain his composure before the steps met up with him; he couldn't stop the tears. But what made it worse was that the footsteps were Malik's.

Horrified at the thought of Ryou committing suicide, he ran as fast as he could, but when he got to the clearing, nothing mattered anymore. He saw Ryou's body, lain across the ground, chest covered in blood. "No…Ryou… … …he couldn't have…" All that was going through Malik's mind was maybe there's hope, maybe he'll survive like last time, but when he reached Ryou's still corpse, he couldn't say anything. "Why…I was too late…Ryou…" He closed his eyes before standing up, to think of what he just discovered.

Bakura's voice broke the silence.

"He didn't kill himself, I killed him." The white haired tombrobber said, turning around to leave on that note but Malik stopped him. "What?! What do you mean _you _killed him? Bakura, I knew"-

"If it wasn't for me though, he would have killed himself anyway. It was a no-win situation. All I tried to do was get him stronger, prepare him for what he would face in the real world, what he would face on his own, if his life so came to that point. I broke his spirit, mind and soul past the point of repair. And I wish I hadn't. He was too weak; I should have been more lenient. At least he's…finally free." then he pushed Malik's hand off of his shoulder and left through the trees, leaving Malik all alone with the corpse of Ryou.


	8. Aftermath

Aftermath-The day of Ryou's funeral

Everyone attended Ryou's burial. Basically all that knew him he had a positive effect on. His parents, Yugi, Joey, Tea', Tristan, heck even Pegasus and Kaiba. Marik even went (after much coaxing from Ishizu and Odion). They all attended the funeral and said their precessions (if that's how you spell it) and prayed nothing but happiness for his family. Of course Ryou's mother and father was devastated, but the one hurt most was his best friend, Malik.

"Malik, don't worry. It's gonna be okay. He's in a better place now." Ishizu said to comfort her brother, but he was lost in a world of thought and grief.

"If only I was there faster...If only I was there...Ryou wouldn't be gone now...Why...Why couldn't I have stopped this!" the Egyptian pleaded his sister for an answer, but she couldn't say anything but "It wasn't your fault. Remember, Bakura was the one who killed him, not you." "But I could have stopped him! I know it!! If I was just there faster, He wouldn't be...be...-Oh Ishizuuu!!!" Malik broke down to tears. Odion tried, but no one could calm him down. "Master Malik, please. I know it's hard to lose a very dear friend, but"-"He was more than a friend Odion, I loved him! And I never got a chance to tell him that! It's not fair!!! Damn him...Damn you Bakura to HELL!!!"

And even later that day Malik wasn't able to cope with the loss. He was stricken with grief that lasted for days, into weeks. He spent his nights crying and shouting his hatred towards Bakura, his stupidity of not telling Ryou, cursing himself for not being there to save him, when all of a sudden...

"Damn it! Damn him!...Amn damn me...If it wasn't for me, he-"

_But it's not you who killed me Malik._

"Wha-"

Malik looked up to see who was talking to him and that's when he saw him again. "Ryou...is that...you?"

_Heh heh, it's me alright. And as you can see, I'm quite okay as an angel, I just didn't get my angel wings yet. Enough about me, I shouldn't be seeing you like this. The way you're acting is the very same way you tried to get me from. Don't you think that's a little hypocritical Malik?_

"I...guess it is. But, it's my fault, I was supposed to be protecting you"-

_I don't remember you being my guardian. Not to sound rude, but no one asked you to watch over me. So it's not your fault. I know, you keep saying to yourself: If I was there faster, I could have saved you. The truth is, I was dead at least 5 minutes before you were even in the vicinity of the forest we were in. See?_

"How can you smile when you're...you're"-

_Dead? I can smile because you weren't the one killed. I can smile because none of my friends and family were killed in my place. I can smile because I don't have to suffer, and can now be with you always._

"But...I never even got to say good bye..."

_Well?_

Malik looked up to his angelic friend, smiled and said, "Good bye, and...I always love you." Ryou smiled back, and mouthed the words, "Right back at ya," before fading away in golden light.

Hold up! Wait a minute! Let's go put some drums in it! (Drumline, couldn't help it)

Before you guys start to throw hot garbage at me (mainly Journey Maker. ducks flaming dumpster) for not including Bakura in the story or at least have him be repented for what he did to Ryou, I have a good reason. the reason is...

It's right here.

Everyone was at Ryou's funeral. Everyone except Bakura. Everyone thought that he was happy that Ryou was dead. No one to contain him now. He could reak all hell if he wanted to. That's what everyone was thinking. The truth is, no one knew where he really was. Some say ran out of Domino due to the police putting a bounty on his head (Wanted Dead: Yami Bakura for the torturing and murder of Ryou Bakura. A ransom of $765,028) Others say that he killed himself just so he could torture him in the afterlife (which wasn't likely 'cause we all know where he's going) Not even his partner in crime Marik doesn't know where Bakura is. So you're wondering, where _is_ Bakura?

The saying goes: what goes around, comes around. Well, it came around. Bakura's a wreck. Nervous breakdown. Turns out Ryou wasn't worthless. Bakura was just using that to hide what he was truly saying. Yeah sure, it was to _make him sronger for the real world_.

Bullshit.

Bakura needed him. Now that Ryou's gone, he can't pull himself together. Adding the fact that Bakra actually _loved_ him, and basically Bakura done screwed himself. Much like Malik was, all clocked up(clocked up? WTF?) in his room (can't disclose his location. Sorry.) wondering why in the hell he fucked with his mind, wondering why he killed him, wondering why he couldn't just go back to the way things were, why he didn't listen to Marik, screwing up his own damn mind.

"And to think, all of this shit started over a damned game of Monopoly...I'm so sorry Ryou...sniff...I wish I could tell you..."

(nope, no visit from Ryou for you, asshole!)

"Damn."

Bakura's life pretty much sucked after that. Anything he would do, didn't work out. Nothing went his way anymore. He was living in hell. (from his perspective) Rest assured, Ryou loved him dearly, but Bakura never got a vision like Malik; no signs, no messages, no nothing. But he never died (and there were numerous times when he should have), never got caught by the police, nothing serious ever happened to him. Why?

He always had a guardian angel watching over him.


End file.
